abridge : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: abridge	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for abridge
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
abridge v reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened" Synonym(s): abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract, reduce Antonym(s): dilate, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate, exposit, expound, flesh out, lucubrate lessen, diminish, or curtail; "the new law might abridge our freedom of expression"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Abridge \Abridge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abridged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Abridging}.] [OE. abregen, OF. abregier, F. abr[82]ger, fr. L. abbreviare; ad + brevis short. See {Brief} and cf. {Abbreviate}.] 1. To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge* labor; to abridge power or rights. [bd]The bridegroom . . . abridged his visit.[b8] --Smollett. She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her train from state to necessity. --Fuller. 2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to abridge a history or dictionary. 3. To deprive; to cut off; -- followed by of, and formerly by from; as, to abridge one of his rights.